Library Workers Turn Last Page Of Careers

Early-retirement Plan Responsible For Departures

July 31, 1993|By CONSTANCE NEYER; Courant Staff Writer

It was hardest to tell the children.

Barbara Brodeur, children's librarian for 23 years at the red brick Camp Field Branch Library at Barry Square in Hartford, did fine until she looked into the confused eyes of 3-year-old Rosie Swaim, who couldn't understand the word "retirement."

The woman, who has watched many library children grow up and bring their kids in for library cards, is used to explaining words. But this was much more difficult.

"It means I'm going away and later somebody else will come and tell you different stories."

Friday was Brodeur's last day. She is one of about 10 employees of the Hartford Public Library who have signed up for the early-retirement incentive offered by Hartford City Manager Howard J. Stanback.

Others who have signed up and will leave by the end of the year include:

Chief Librarian Patricia L. Berberich, the head of the operation that has more than 500,000 books in a main library, nine branches and a bookmobile.

Beverly A. Loughlin, curator of the priceless Hartford Collection, which has such treasures as a program from Queen Victoria's jubilee, Cotton Mather's biography of Hartford founder Thomas Hooker and the official investigation of the tragic circus fire of 1944. which claimed more than 100 lives.

Senior Reference Librarian Dorothy A. Brickett, who joined the system in 1944 and said it was crucial then to keep up with current events because people would inevitably call for information on the latest planes or tanks during a war.

Sally Schultze, coordinator of children's services, who still chuckles when she recalls an intense 6-year-old girl coming to her desk and saying: "I've got a big problem and I need help. I want to know how to read!" The child was the star of her class by the end of the year.

Vernon Martin, who displays the same Maurice Chevalier charm

whether he's checking out Pavarotti and Van Cliburn for clients in suits or heavy metal and rap music for youths in jeans.

Jeanette Karny, children's specialist of the Mark Twain Branch and Sharon Turo, who has headed the smallest branch, the Dwight Branch, for the past 20 years.

"Messenger" Stratton Pawsey, who for 20 years has delivered mail and correspondence between departments. His position will be renamed.

"I feel we're like a piece of fabric with holes poking through it," said Berberich Friday. "But I know that competent people will take over."

Berberich, like others, had planned on staying at least two more years, but said she was swayed by Stanback's offer. About 200 of the city's supervisors and professional employees as well as non-union employees were offered the opportunity to retire up to five years earlier than they normally would be allowed.

Under the plan, employees are given five years of service, up to five years of free health insurance and five years of cost-of-living increases. The cap on their pensions is also increased from 70 percent of their wages to 80 percent.

About 140 city and library employees have signed up for the early retirement incentive that Stanback predicts will eventually save about $4.6 million to $5.6 million a year.

"The turnover has always been about nil or negligible in the library," said Berberich, who has been with the library since 1966. Since she became an administrator in 1975, she said she's rarely seen anyone leave unless they retired.

"I have mixed feelings," Brickett said Friday about her retirement. "I've loved my work and the people I've worked with for 49 years."

It was also a difficult decision for Loughlin, who has lovingly cared for Hartford's archives: books from Noah Webster's collection; first editions works by Hartford authors Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Wallace Stevens; and a 1783 book published in Hartford, "A Journal of Captain Cook's Last Voyage."

Many of these precious pieces are just stored in boxes filled with dust and dirt or on cluttered shelves and other storage places.

She was thrilled in May when Stephen B. Goddard, president of the Hartford Library's board of trustees, announced plans to undertake fund-raising to free up a section of the second floor, refurbish it, and install air conditioning for the priceless collection.

On Friday, Brodeur and Mary E. Ransom, who had been circulation director for 15 years, had to say goodbye to people who looked at the library as a second home.

South End Day Care gave Brodeur a card that said: "Our Little Hearts Will Miss You." Among the signatures was John Thomas, director of the center, who Brodeur first met when he was a boy signing up for a library card.

Judy S. Locker, who also has signed up to retire, but will stay several weeks before it takes effect, told stories about the fun days of the one-story structure.

She remembers when a snake was found in the cellar. And she

remembered the man, who wanted to read only biographies, but the subjects had to be dead. Or her frequent patron who always checked with Locker first to see if the patron had read the book.

Brodeur said leaving would take some adjustment. She will come back soon and do some consulting work to ease out of the branch.